Portable load supporting structure



Dc. 6, 1938. SCHMEISER 2,139,470 I PORTABLE LOAD SUPPORTING STRUCTURE Filed June 21, 1937 2 Sheets-Sheet 1 INVENTOR Dec. 6, 1938. T. G. SCHMEISER 2,139,470

PORTABLE LOAD SUPPORTING STRUCTURE I Filed June 21, 1937 2 Sheets-Sheet 2 INVENTOR 77 G. sclzmeiser.

w BY

Patented Dec. 6, 1938 UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE 2 Claims.

This invention relates generally to portable load supporting structures such as machinery benches, work or display tables and the like. In shops where portable machinery benches are used, it is often diflicult to move the benches and the weighty machinery thereon from place to place. The same problem is present in stores where tables laden with merchandise must be moved from one place to another.

My present invention relates particularly to, and it is my principal object to provide, a load supporting structure such as a machinery bench, merchandise table, or low bed industrial table, having a lifting and transporting device arranged in connection therewith whereby the load supporting structure may be moved with ease.

Another object of my invention is to provide a device of the character described which when not in use will not interfere in any way with normal use of the bench or table with which it is arranged in combination; the handles of the device being mounted for folding movement to an inoperative and inconspicuous position and out of the Way. Further, when inoperative the device does not in any way affect the stability of the bench or table.

A further object of the invention is to produce a simple and inexpensive device and yet one which will be exceedingly effective for the purpose for which it is designed.

These objects I accomplish by means of such structure and relative arrangement of parts as will fully appear by a perusal of the following specification and claims.

In the drawings similar characters of reference indicate corresponding parts in the several views:

Figure l is a side elevation of a table illustrating my improved device as arranged in combination therewith, the device being in inoperative position.

Figure 2 is a sectional elevation of the table illustrating the device in operative position.

Figures 3 and 4 illustrate a modified form of the invention.

Referring now more particularly to the characters of reference on the drawings and particularly at present to Figs. 1 and 2, the numeral l indicates a table having legs 2 disposed adjacent the corners thereof, said legs being braced by upper side rails 3 and lower side rails 4.

Blocks 5 are fixed on the legs 2 on one end of the table, the upper ends of the blocks being spaced from the table top for the reason as will hereinafter appear. A handle or lever 6 is linked tion of blocks 5a.

or pivoted in connection with each block by a pair of spaced link elements 1 between the ends of which the block and handle respectively are pivoted.

These links are pivoted a predetermined distance from the upper end of the block and inner end of the handle whereby the inner end portion of the handle may be disposed on top the block and with such handle at substantially right angles. to the adjacent leg 2 in the manner shown in Fig. 2. As the blocks 5 are preferably made of wood, metallic protecting shoes 8 may be mounted on the upper ends thereof if desired and form right angle abutments. The handles are of such length that when not in engagement with the blocks and they are depending inoperatively from the links as shown in Fig. 1, the lower ends of such handles will clear the floor.

The lower rails 4 of the table and at the opposite end from the handles, are extended beyond the adjacent legs 2 as at 9. Caster wheels ID are secured to and depend from the outer end portions of extensions 9, such caster wheels being disposed slightly above the floor when the table is resting on its legs.

The handles normally hang from links I in close proximity and substantially parallel to the adjacent legs 2, and are thus out of the way. However, when the table is to be moved, the operator grasps the outer end of the handles and swings them upward to a position with the inner end portions engaging on top of blocks 5. The operator then lifts up on the handles raising all the legs from the floor and lowering casters ill to a floor engaging position, as clearly shown in Fig. 2, and the table moved on such casters to the desired place.

Referring now to the modified form of the invention shown in Figs. 3 and 4, the structure described above is altered only by the substitu- By providing each block 5a with abutments disposed one above the other and thus at different levels, a person may engage the inner end portion of the handles with either abutment and depending on the level at which the handles are more convenient to grasp. For example, a person with long arms would use the lowermost abutment as shown in Fig. 3 While a short armed person would use the uppermost abutment as shown in Fig. 4.

From the foregoing description it will be readily seen that I have produced such a device as substantially fulfills the objectsv oi the invention as set forth herein.

wardly and upwardly facing abutments adja-,

cent their upper ends, a pair of handles, and means pivoting the handles in operative connection with the members whereby the handles may be swung from a depending position below the members to a substantially horizontal position with the ends of the handles engaged in said abutments, each member including a plurality of stepped abutments.

2. In a portable load supporting structure having a pair of transversely spaced substantially vertical members, a handle normally disposed in depending position adjacent each member, means pivoting each handle to the adjacent member for upward swinging movement to a substantially horizontal position, and means on each member for selective engagement by the corresponding handle when disposed in difierent substantially horizontal planes and to limit upward swinging movement of the handle therebeyond.

THEODORE G. SCHMEISER. 

